


When a Tree Falls

by stargatefan_archivist



Category: Stargate SG-1
Genre: Action/Adventure, Angst, Drama, Gen, Hurt/Comfort
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-12-31
Updated: 2013-12-31
Packaged: 2018-10-06 13:25:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,705
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10335650
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/stargatefan_archivist/pseuds/stargatefan_archivist
Summary: Daniel *attempts* to discuss philosophy with Sam.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Note from Yuma, the archivist: this work was originally archived at [Stargatefan.com](http://fanlore.org/wiki/Stargatefan.com). To preserve the archive, we began manually importing its works to the AO3 as an Open Doors-approved project in 2017. I e-mailed all creators about the move and posted announcements, but may not have reached everyone. If you are (or know) this creator, please contact me using the e-mail address on [StargateFan Archive Collection profile](http://archiveofourown.org/collections/StargateFan_Archive_Collection).

When a Tree Falls

##  When a Tree Falls

##### Written by Debra Kraft   
Comments? Write to us at [dkraft@yazaki-na.com](mailto:dkraft@yazaki-na.com)

  * SPOILERS: 
  * CONTENT WARNINGS: 
  * Daniel *attempts* to discuss philosophy with Sam. 
  * G [D] [A] [Hc] 



* * *

Sam set her breakfast tray on the table and sat down opposite Daniel. She was surprised when he failed to acknowledge her arrival. Nor had he touched his pancakes. Instead he stared at his plate, his thoughts apparently centered on the syrup. 

"Daniel? You okay?"

A moment passed before he finally threw her a quick glance. "Hm? Oh. Yeah. Fine."

He picked up his fork and poked at his food. 

"You'd better eat up. We've got a long hike ahead of us on P3X-951."

The fork stopped its meandering journey as Daniel came back from his own wandering thoughts. He looked at his teammate, staring now with an intensity that caught Sam off guard. 

Deciding against the bite she was about to take, Sam closed her mouth and let her hand fall back to the table, the piece of toast in her grip resting on her plate's edge.

"Sam, have you ever," Daniel looked away briefly, seeming to search for the right words before his eyes met hers once more. "Did you study philosophy?"

Taken further aback by the unexpected question, Sam hesitated. "Well, yeah. I had a class back in my freshman year."

Daniel smiled. "You know that old adage 'if a tree falls in the forest and there's no one there to hear it, does it still make a noise?'"

Sam smiled back. "That's why I could never appreciate philosophy. I mean, come on! Just because no one hears something, doesn't mean there's no sound. Sound waves…."

"Yeah," Daniel interrupted her physics lesson. "Yeah, I know. But…." He fell back into his thoughts, his eyes distant once more. "I had the strangest dream."

Sam decided to give up on trying to eat. This conversation was a puzzle. And she had never been able to 'walk away' when there was a puzzle to solve. She set her fork on the table and rested her chin in her hands, waiting for Daniel to continue.

"I was in a house somewhere, sitting at a table. I got dizzy or something, and lost my balance. Then I saw it wasn't just me. I looked around and noticed other things in the house were leaning in one direction. I stood up and went to the window, but every step was a struggle. Something seemed to be pulling at me. When I looked outside, every tree, every bush, _everything_ was leaning toward the end of this long, neighborhood street."

He looked at her. "You remember when the gate was linked to a black hole?"

Sam nodded. "Of course, that was P…."

"It was like that. Like we were being pulled into a black hole."

He looked away again. "I went outside, and everyone was running in the opposite direction, away from the … _event_. I knew it was useless, but I ran, too. Left the door to the house wide open, and just started running."

"Then there was this enormous flock of birds overhead. Big birds." He smiled, shaking his head as he remembered the bizarre image. "Very, _very_ big birds. Mostly geese and _giant_, white doves." He stretched his arms wide in an effort to show Sam the absurd size of the doves. 

He shook his head again. The smile died away. He dropped his hands back to the table. 

"They were flying _towards_ the pull, not away from it. I reached for one of the doves," his eyes focused upward, one hand rising as though the flock was still above him. "Somehow I knew why they were there. And they knew why I was there. 

"I reached up to let the dove grab hold of me, and it took me to a place where I could state a case to save humanity. Imagine that. _I_ was humanity's lawyer." He shot Sam an embarrassed grin, then, sighing, continued his tale. 

"I never saw the _entity_ I was speaking to. But I claimed that humanity was worth saving because of the beauty that would otherwise be eternally lost. I mentioned the music of Mozart and Beethoven, and the works of Shakespeare and other literature I can't quite remember now. Then I quoted from the sonnet, 'shall I compare thee to a summer's day...' I repeated the last couplet several times, and woke up with those words still on my mind."

He cast his eyes upward once more, as he recited the couplet. " 'So long as men can breathe and eyes can see, so long lives this and this gives life to thee'."

A prolonged moment of silence left Sam even more uncomfortable than Daniel's description of his dream. "Wow," she said trying to bridge the discomfort.

Another moment passed before Daniel recited the couplet again. " 'So long as men can breathe and eyes can see, so long lives this and this gives life to thee'." He smiled at Sam. "I'm pretty sure that won my case."

"I don't understand."

"If humanity is lost, can God exist?"

"Well, if you're a religious person then yes, of course. According to the premise of most religions. I mean, religions tend to prophesize Armageddon, right? What you dreamed could be a version of Armageddon." 

"That's where philosophy comes in. If the tree falls but there are no ears to hear it, can you still call what results a 'sound'?" Daniel did not give Sam a chance to answer. "In that vein, art often exists as a means to define God, or a godlike entity. If suddenly the earth was destroyed, if humanity was lost and all its artwork vanished, then there would be nothing left to define that entity; so, in essence, having lost its definition that entity could also cease to exist. When I repeated that couplet in my dream, the entity judging me … judging *us* … knew I was right, that *it* too would cease to exist."

Sam shook her head. "I'm sorry, Daniel. But I just don't get your argument. A religious person would say God exists no matter what, even if this whole universe was lost. And to say a sound wouldn't exist if no one could hear it …. I mean, that's just ridiculous. 

That would be like saying …." She looked forlornly at her plate. "Like saying these eggs wouldn't be cold if I weren't here to notice."

Daniel's grin now was one of patient acceptance. Sam could talk with him for hours about history, archeology, anthropology or any number of his unique interests, but philosophy was one area she simply could not fathom. It was clear he was as aware of that fact as she was. 

She smiled back, and shrugged. "I never did 'get' philosophy. But that was some dream."

"Yeah."

"Don't try to analyze it too deeply, Daniel. Dreams are just your brain's way of calibrating itself."

"Yeah."

She wasn't reaching him. "Although sometimes they can also say something about your own beliefs, things you've given thought to, whether on a conscious or subconscious level."

"Sometimes." He nodded slowly in agreement.

"Hey, kids."

Sam started at the sound of the colonel's voice behind her.

"Time to suit up." He peered down at the full, untouched plates on the table. "It's a little late to be starting breakfast."

"Yes, Sir," Sam replied. "We were talking."

"Talking?"

"Talking." Daniel repeated.

"What about?" Jack motioned towards Sam's toast. He waited politely for her nod before snatching it up.

"Philosophy," Daniel offered at the same time as Sam's "Dreams".

Jack studied them both curiously. Then, apparently not wanting to broach either subject, he cleared his throat. "Time to suit up," he said again, inclining his head towards the door. "Let's move out."

"Yes, Sir." Grateful for the rescue, Sam was quick to obey. She was half-way to the door when she heard the colonel speaking softly to Daniel.

"So, was Sam dreaming about me again?"

Fire rising to her cheeks, Sam had to remind herself Jack was her CO. Yet even that fact might not have mattered had General Hammond not happened by just then. This was neither the time nor the place for her to turn back and confront her teammates. She gave the general a cautious greeting, then picked up her pace and hurried from the room.

Later, as they moved toward the event horizon en route to P3X-951, Sam caught Daniel's eye, recognizing his unique, lonely smile. That dream was going to haunt him, yet there was nothing she could say to guide him past it. Nor could the colonel. Neither of them could think quite like Daniel Jackson when it came to things like that dream.

When Teal'c stepped between her and Daniel, Sam sighed in amazement. _Teal'c_! That was who Daniel needed to speak with! How had she not considered him before? 

Shaking her head in relief, she realized - not for the first time - how fortunate they were to have each other. SG-1 was comprised of four extremely unique individuals, each one uniquely qualified to help the others through difficult times. This might not exactly be a difficult time, but soundless crashes in the forest, giant, white doves and Shakespeare sonnets? She would be more than happy to let Teal'c field this one.

**The End**

  


* * *

  


> It doesn't help to discuss a philosophical  
> dream with a physicist, as I learned yesterday when trying to discuss my dream with my husband! Daniel here is taking my role,  
> and Sam is taking my husband's (though my husband was never uncomfortable with telling me how absurd philosophy can be)

* * *

> March 24, 2001  
> © The characters mentioned in this story are the property of Showtime and Gekko Film Corp.  
> The Stargate, SG-I, the Goa'uld and all other characters  
> who have appeared in the series STARGATE SG-1 together with the names,   
> titles and backstory are the sole copyright property of MGM-UA Worldwide Television,   
> Gekko Film Corp, Glassner/Wright Double Secret Productions and Stargate SG-I Prod. Ltd.   
> Partnership.  
> This fanfic is not intended as an infringement upon those rights and   
> solely meant for entertainment.   
> All other characters, the story idea and the story itself   
> are the sole property of the author.   
> 

* * *

  



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